Voices of Search Podcast: Leveraging CRM Data for Comprehensive SEO Metrics

Episode Title: Leveraging CRM Data For Comprehensive SEO Metrics
Release Date: April 9, 2025
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Val Riley, VP of Marketing at Insightly and Unbounce
Podcast Network: I Hear Everything
[Transcript Timestamp: 00:42 - 20:11]

1. Introduction to the Guest and Platform Synergy

In this insightful episode, Jordan Cooney welcomes Val Riley, the Vice President of Marketing at Insightly and Unbounce. Val brings a wealth of experience from two pivotal platforms that specialize in customer relationships, landing page optimization, and CRM efforts. The discussion centers around the integration of CRM data into SEO strategies, highlighting how unified platforms can drive comprehensive marketing efforts.

Key Points:

• Brands Overview:
  • Unbounce: A leader in landing page building, known for conversion rate optimization.
  • LeadsRx Acquisition: Enhances Unbounce's capabilities with full multi-touch attribution solutions.
  • Insightly CRM Acquisition: Expands the suite to include core CRM functionalities, marketing automation, integrations, and service ticketing.

2. The Power of Combined Data for Enhanced Marketing

Val emphasizes the immense value of integrating data from Unbounce and Insightly CRM. This combination provides a holistic view of customer interactions, tracing the journey from initial landing page conversions to long-term customer retention and revenue generation.

Notable Quote:
"You get a much more comprehensive picture. Right now you can see not only that did that customer convert, but what was their journey post conversion?"
— Val Riley [04:16]

Key Insights:

• Conversion Tracking: Understanding not just the conversion event but the subsequent customer journey.
• Revenue Impact: Linking landing page optimization directly to revenue outcomes.

3. Mining CRM Data for SEO Insights

Jordan probes into how CRM data serves as a goldmine for SEO professionals. Val outlines the critical elements within CRM systems that can inform and enhance SEO strategies.

Notable Quote:
"Start with those closed one ops, start digging through the notes and seeing how people are describing the journey by which they got to that sales rep."
— Val Riley [05:15]

Key Insights:

• Closed-Won Opportunities: Analyzing successful sales to understand customer language and needs.
• Customer Vocabulary: Identifying the exact words and phrases customers use to describe their problems and solutions, which may differ from the company’s terminology.

4. The Role of AI in Analyzing CRM Data

While AI offers powerful tools for processing large datasets, Val advises caution. The importance of capturing customers' authentic language is paramount, and over-reliance on AI summarization may dilute this precision.

Notable Quote:
"You want to find those exact words that the customer used. So AI can be great, don't get me wrong. But in this case, I would say it's absolutely worth you taking the time to... see how they described their needs."
— Val Riley [07:05]

Key Insights:

• Preservation of Authentic Language: Ensuring that the nuances of customer expressions are retained.
• Selective AI Use: Leveraging AI for summarization but prioritizing direct customer language for keyword discovery.

5. Transforming CRM Insights into Keyword Strategies

Val discusses the practical steps of converting CRM-derived insights into actionable SEO strategies. This involves identifying relevant keywords and phrases that resonate with the target audience based on their genuine language.

Notable Quote:
"Can we turn those words and phrases into action? Can we start building content around them as keywords that we know our market is using?"
— Val Riley [07:52]

Key Insights:

• Content Alignment: Developing blog posts, optimized web pages, and other content around identified keywords.
• Shift from Volume to Value: Focusing on high-value, relevant keywords that drive meaningful organic traffic.

6. Case Study: Targeted Content Creation in Competitive Markets

Val shares a compelling case study where Insightly CRM identified a niche within the manufacturing vertical. By focusing on the specific challenge of ERP integration, they crafted targeted content that addresses a precise pain point, thereby attracting quality traffic despite high competition.

Notable Quote:
"We started producing content around this very simple phrase integrate CRM with ERP. And you know, it's not a ton of traffic, but the traffic that it gets is really strong."
— Val Riley [12:22]

Key Insights:

• Niche Targeting: Leveraging specific industry challenges to create highly relevant content.
• Quality Over Quantity: Prioritizing traffic that converts over sheer volume.

7. Differentiating the Brand Through Vertical Alignment

In crowded markets, Val explains how Insightly CRM differentiates itself by aligning its SEO strategies with specific verticals such as manufacturing and healthcare. This vertical-focused approach allows them to cater to distinct industry needs and stand out among larger competitors.

Notable Quote:
"Aligning with verticals has been a lot of what's driven the SEO strategy for Insightly CRM."
— Val Riley [17:33]

Key Insights:

• Vertical Specialization: Tailoring content and SEO efforts to address the unique needs of specific industries.
• Competitive Positioning: Finding and exploiting niches where the company can excel without directly competing with industry giants.

8. Leveraging Purchase History for SEO Opportunities

Beyond initial conversions, analyzing purchase history within the CRM offers deeper insights into customer behavior, such as upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Understanding these patterns can inform content strategies that support revenue growth.

Notable Quote:
"Looking into purchase history, seeing what feature requests are driving Upsell Cross Selling can be a real clue for the SEO person on how they talk about how the platform can grow with their customers."
— Val Riley [19:49]

Key Insights:

• Behavioral Patterns: Identifying common purchase sequences to anticipate future customer needs.
• Content Tailoring: Creating content that supports and encourages upselling and cross-selling based on actual customer behavior.

Conclusion

This episode of Voices of Search underscores the transformative potential of integrating CRM data into SEO strategies. Val Riley highlights practical approaches to unearthing and leveraging customer insights, emphasizing the importance of authentic language and targeted content creation. By aligning SEO efforts with specific verticals and understanding purchase behaviors, marketers can craft strategies that not only enhance visibility but also drive meaningful business outcomes.

For more insights and discussions on SEO and content marketing, subscribe to the Voices of Search podcast and join the conversation on social media platforms.

Note: This summary excludes introductory and concluding segments unrelated to the core discussion.